Steam-engine.



l Nuo. '833,631. PATENTED OCT. 16,' 1906.

G. B'RHODES & J. A. ROSS.

-sTEAM ENGINE. AEPLIOATION FILED APE.15,1E05.

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No. 833,6s1f

PATENTED OCT. 16, 1906.

C. E. RHODES & J. A. ROSS.

STEAM ENGINE. v APPLICATION ULEB APB,.1`5,19o5.

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l attbi/nw? UNFFED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

CHARLES EDGAR RHODES AND JAMES ALFRED ROSS, OF ALTOONA,

` PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oct. 16, 1906.

Application iiled April 15, 1905. Serial No. 255,792.

To a/ZZ whom it may G01/wwwa Be it known that we, CHARLES EDGAR RHODESand JAMES ALFRED Ross, citizens of the United States of America,residing at Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania,have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in steam-engines of that typewherein the eX- pansive force of the steam is utilized to reciprocatethe cylinder and piston in opposite directions.

The main object of the invention is the production of a steam-enginehaving a movable cylinder and piston both operatively connected to thepower-shaft, whereby the maximum expansive force of the steam is-transmitted to the power-shaft.

Another object of the invention is the production of means forautomatically controlling the valve Within the steam-chest, whereby saidvalve may be regulated in movement in accordance with the movement ofthe cylinder and piston.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the followingdetailed description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improvedengine. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectionthrough the cylinder, valve-chest, and steamchest, the piston andpiston-rod being shown in elevation. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectionthrough the steam-chest and exhaust-chamber. Fig. 5 is a view inelevation of one of the cylinder-cranks, illustrating particularly theweight therefor. y

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference-numerals indicate likeparts throughout the several views, 1 represents the enginebed ofsuitable size and shape, and 2 a cylinder base suitably fixed to the bedand formed with a longitudinally-arranged track 3.

4 represents a guide-plate supported above the cylinder-base 2 bystandards 5., The guide-plate is formed with a longitudinal trackway 6,arranged in vertical alinement With the track 3 in the cylinder-base.

7 represents the cylinder provided on its upper and lower sides withshoes 8, arranged to travel, respectively, in the trackways 3 and 6,whereby to guide the cylinder in its reciprocatory movement. 9represents the piston mounted for reciprocation Within the cylinder, towhich isterminally connected piston-rod 10, which projects through oneof the cylinder-heads 11 and through a stuffingboX 12 secured to saidhead. The forward end of the piston-.rod is connected to a crosshead 12,supported in suitable guideways 13,

4rising from the engine-bed.

14-represents the power-shaft mounted in suitable bearing-blocks 15, Xedto the engine-bed and having the usual iiy-wheels 16. Intermediate thefly-Wheels the power-shaft is provided with cranks 17, formed in theshaft adjacent each ily-wheel, and a central reversely-projected crank18. Connectingrods 19 are secured at one end to the cylinder and theopposite end to the cranks 17 of the power-shaft, while the crank 18 isconnected with the cross-head 12 through'the medium of a rod 20. As acounterbalance for the crank 17 the arms thereof are projected beyondthe plane of the power-shaft, as at 21, and each of the arms isprovidedwith aweight 22, practically of the shape illustrated in Fig. 5.If preferred, these weights may be removably secured in place to providefor adjustment or change.

23 represents the valve-chest secured, as usual, externally of thecylinder and formed with ports 24 and 25, arranged to communicate withchannels 26 and 27, formed in the cylinder-wall and terminally incommunication with the interior of the cylinder at opposite endsthereof. An exhaust-port 28 is formed in the wall of the valve-chestintermediate the ports 24 and 25.

29 represents-the valve, which may be of any desired type, having achannel of a size to include one of the ports 24 or 25 and theexhaust-port in the eXtreme movement of the valve. The valve isconnected to a valve-rod 31, projecting forward through the head of thevalve-chest and a suitable stuffing-box 32 and terminally connected toone end of a rocker-arm 33, pivotally secured at 34A on the cylinder.The' other end of the IOO sis

rocker-arm is connected to a rod 35, projected toward the crank-shafteccentrically connected to a gear 36, supported in bearings 37, with itsshaft practically in horizontal alinement with the power-shaft. A gear38 is loosely mounted on the power-shaft and arranged to intermesh withthe gear 36, whereby power is transmitted to the valvegear 36.

39 represents the governor, preferably comprising an arcuate armconcentric with the power-shaft and pivotally connected at one terminal,as at 40, to one of the spokes of the power-wheel, the opposite end ofthe governor-arm being provided with an adjustable weight 41. Arms 42connect the governorarm on opposite sides of its pivotal support withthe power-gear 38, whereby saidlatter gear is driven in the revolutionof the powerwheel, and thereby transmits power to the valve-gear. Aspring 43, terminally connected to the governor arm and to thepower-wheel, serves to maintain the governor-arm under tension in therevolution of the power-wheel.

44 represents the steam-chest supplied through a suitable pipe 45, and46 represents an exhaust-chamber arranged immediately below thesteam-chest, being preferably supported upon a suitable bed 47. Anexhaust-pipe 48 discharges from the exhaustchamber 46. By preference thesteam-chest and exhaust-chamber are formed of a single casing, separatedfrom one another by a longitudinal partition, for a purpose hereinafterset forth.

' As the cylinder and valve-chest have a longitudinal movement, thesteam connection between the chest and cylinder must be adapted topermit such movement, similar provision being made for the exhaust-pipefrom the valve-chest. To accommodate this movement, we arrange thesteam-supply pipe 49 in open communication with the valvechest at oneend and closed at the opposite end. The steam-pipe passes longitudinallythrough the steam-chest, extending through stuffing-boxes 50, secured onthe heads of said chest, with its closed end projecting beyond thechest. Within the steam-chest the supply-pipe is provided with acircumferential row ofaperforations 51, whereby steam is admitted to thesupply-pipe, it being understood that the perforations are so arrangedin the supply-pipe that they are at all times within the steam-chestduring the movement of the pipe. The exhaust-pipe 52, terminally in opencommunication with the exhaust-port 28, is closed at the opposite endand slidably mounted with relation to the exhaust-chamber 46, the pipepreferably passing through the stuffing-boxes 53, secured on the-headsof said exhaust-chamber. The exhaust-pipe within the exhaust-chamber isformed with a circumferential row of perforations 54 to establishcommunication with said chamber.

Vith the parts constructed and arranged' as descri-bed the operation ofour improved engine is as follows: Steam being admitted to thesteam-chest passes through the perforations 51 in the steam-pipe 49 andto the valve-chest, being admitted to the steam-cylinder through eitherport 24 or 25, in accordance with the position of the valve. Theexpansive force of the steam within the cylinder operates to force thepiston and cylinder in reverse direction transmitting motion to thepower-shaft through the cranks 17 and 18, as will be evident. In thismovement of the power-shaft the power-gear 38 is revolved, and therebydriving the valve-gear 36 to suitably lead the valve 29. An excess ofmovement of the power-shaft will tend to project the weighted end`of thegovernorarm tangentially from the power-shaft, thus giving an addedmovement to the power-gear 3S through the connections 42, and therebyincreasing the lead of the valve to cut 0H the steam-supply at anearlier period of operation. The valve-gear 36 may be so arranged withrelation to the power-gear as to give the valve the exact lead requiredunder any particular circumstances, this result being gained by a manualmovement of the valvegear previous to intermeshing it with the4power-gear. The cylinder is guided in its reciprocatory movement by theshoes 8, traveling in the trackways 3 and 6, whereby an even movement ofthe cylinder is maintained with the minimum degree of friction. Theexhaust-steam within the exhaust-chamber tends to maintain thesteam-chest under a comparatively uniform degree of heat, beingsuflicient to reduce to a minimum the condensation within said chest.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. Asteam-engine comprising a cylinder mounted for reciprocating movement, apiston movable within the cylinder, a `powershaft formed withreversely-disposed cranks, connecting-rods intermediate said cranks andthe cylinder and piston, a steam-chest, an exhaust-chamber arranged incontact with the steam-chest, an exhaust-pipe leading from the cylinderand slidably mounted within the exhaust-chamber, and a steampipeconnected with the cylinder and longitudinally movable through thesteam-chest, each of said pipes projecting beyond their respectivesupports and being closed at their free ends.

2. A steam-engine comprising a cylinder mounted for reciprocatingmovement, a piston movable within the cylinder, a steamchest, anexhaust-chamber arranged to heat said steam-chest by radiation, asteam-pipe in communication with the cylinder, an exhaust-pipe leadingfrom the cylinder and in IOO IOS

communication With the exhaust-chamber1 said pipes passing Whollythrough the steamohes't and exhaust-chamber respectively and closed attheir free ends, said pipes being mounted for reeiproeation in theirrespective chambers and formed vWith inlet-ports in communication Withthe respective chambers at all times.

In testimony whereof Wel affix our signatures 1n presence of tWoWitnesses.

CHARLES EDGAR RHODES. JAMES ALFRED ROSS.

Witnesses:

E. C. MARKS, J. D. MILLER.

